After the Canterbury earthquakes of 2010, CanTeen, the charity which helps young people with cancer, needed a way to engage with potential donors. The problem was that many donors had already given to help the people of Canterbury. Our solution was to capture their imagination by creating the world’s first Steampunk inspired Magnificent Memory machine.

The machine destroys the users’ worst memories and replaces them with great new ones, something everyone needs. This fantastical looking machine intrigued thousands, as it destroyed memories during the school holidays around the country, wile a replica destroyed memories on Facebook as an app.

To use either machine was simple. Users were asked to text a unique code to activate the machine, they could then enter a bad memory; the machine destroyed it and replaces it with a new one, printed on a ticket, or displayed on Facebook. This meant users could text to activate the Facebook machine from anywhere, making it the first activation mechanic of its type in New Zealand.

Memories ranged from smaller “feel good” memories, to larger Grand Memories, like an unforgettable day with the New Zealand Breakers. Texts cost $3, which went direct to CanTeen to help young people with cancer get great new memories of their own.

We also created prelaunch and launch posters, radio spots, print ads, web banners, a web video and billboards to direct the public to the machines and the website.

It was important to use an aesthetic for the campaign that communicated the feeling of fantastical delight. An aesthetic that would ignite the public’s imagination and attract potential donors, rather than deter them, as jingling donation buckets do. The Steampunk aesthetic ticked all the boxes and brought the campaign to life.